For The Love Of The Sport
by SpartanOfNovaTitan
Summary: There! A tall, very tall, black man was bouncing a ball on the floor and repeating. His shoes confused Natsu, as they were up to his ankles and had a pretty big heel for a shoe. The Man put the ball on the floor and sat with his knees stretched slightly. He leaned foward with sweat on his body and arms falling into the floor.


Basketball is an intense contact sport. Professionally, it's played a bit dirty to give an edge. Players, even though they make it look easy, fall down simply because they are doing moves that cause them to knock into one another and/or loose balance. Shooting takes many months of practice to learn to do, as there is much more technique then throwing the ball towards the rim. Players, when guarded, are in unregarded fear of jumping, as high as most can, and simply falling with another on them. Grunt work does not fall from this game, as rebounding is tough and you will get knocked down from another player. Usually, you can get away with one set of either strength and power or agility and finesse. The best player usually has both, but most can get around pretty good without the other. By no means is it dangerous. Someone could knock the breath out of you, or knock your teeth out as they get down from a dunk or layup, but it's still pretty safe. That all considered, you'll be knocked around and will get hit by body parts, and will be expected to bear through and not notice that most do not mention it. Most players are ruthless and won't care muchh, as they get the same treatment from everybody else. Not playing for the team will get you unliked, and most likely get you embarrassed one way or another. But. play only for the team and you will be at the bottom of the line up. Remember, it's a team sport with people who, if you're not willing to put in the time, will take you're spot like you never existed. This isn't about purity and evil. It's about if you keep Jekyll and Hyde.

Updated: After taking a minute to read this I decided it needed some work. Obviously.

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><p>Natsu curiously followed the sounds of bouncing, and slight clanging of something on something. In pursuit of the source, he turned past the alleys and towards a house with a Walled backyard.<p>

With curiosity taking the best of him, Natsu went around the building, attempting to find an entrance. Near the back,however, he found a gate, wide open, leading towards the house. Still the bouncing called to him. As if it was of immense importance.

The bouncing continued to provoked him until he gave a determined looked and sneaked inside, hoping to catch at least a mere glimpse of what that sound was. He continued around the corner until he saw the origin of his predicament. A tall, very tall, black man with no hair was bouncing a ball on the floor and repeating this over and over. His shoes confusing Natsu, as they were up to his ankles and had a pretty big heel for a shoe, about a little over an inch.

The Man put the ball on the floor and sat with his knees stretched slightly. He leaned forward unto them with sweat on his body falling to the floor. His breathing became less heavy, as he continually wiped it off with a towel he grabbed from beyond a line that formed a massive square in the building.

Natsu, being as clumsy as his early age suggested, fall over from trying to peek from the door way.

The Man, frightened a bit, looked over and seemed visibly calmer when he realized it was just a boy. "Hey..." He greeted awkwardly, calling to Natsu.

"Hi!" Natsu replied on his feet and happy. Uncertain, the man's eyes moved a bit with his lips expending down to the sides for a moment.

To break the silence, even as stupid as the ice breaker was,"Umm" was dragged from his mouth. Natsu seemed not to care as he instinctly spurted out a question to the taller man.

"Why were you bouncing that ball?"

"Oh! Because I have to when I play Basketball."

"What's that?"

"Basketball is a sport, that has a hoop"the Man pointed towards a basket without a bottom" that is attached to a back board." He assumed that the Pink haired boy would get all of that.

"So what's the ball for?"

"The ball is supposed to go into the hoop."

"Then why were you bouncing it?"

"Because the person with the ball can't move unless they bounce it a lot" The 'oh' look appeared on the boy's face, which quickly faded with another question.

"Can two people play?"

"Yeah,but basketball is meant to be played by 10 people actually!"

"So we can't play?"

"No, we can."

"But we need 10 people."

"Yeah, but that just official, or regular, basketball."

"So you and I can play?"

"Yeah."

Deciding Igneel could wait Natsu asked,"Can we play?"

"Sure."

"What's your name?"

_Jeez, this kid changes the subject quick._

"Michael Jordan, what's your's?"

"Natsu Dragneel. By the way, you have a weird name."

"I'm sure I do."

"Let's play, no more talking."

"Wait-"

"Shhh!"

Annoyed Michael quickly retorted."Shouldn't I teach you first?"

"Oh yeah!" Natsu had the biggest look of awe on his face as Michael stood to his full height. "You're really tall."

"I know." Smiling, Michael palmed the ball, grabbed Natsu by the shoulder and paced towards the hoop.

"Why are you so tall?"

With a thoughtful expression, wondering how to explain without confusing the poor kid."I was born this way."

Natsu seemed to instantly panic. Suprising Michael."SO I'M GOING TO STAY SHORT!"

_Guess I should have seen this coming._

"No no no, you'll grow."

"Oh."

"Now"Michael snapped his fingers infront of Natsu demanding attention"listen and make sure you take note of all of this," He grabbed the ball. "I would _really_ like to start shooting, but I have to make sure that you know how to catch and pass" WIthout warning Michael threw the ball to Natsu who, dispute closing his eye and holding his hands out with no goal in mind, caught it.

Trying to stop his own grinning, Michael chastised him."Look, you caught the ball, but you can't close your eyes when you catch the ball. Look, throw it back."

Natsu picked up the ball, which was way bigger than it looked, then threw it from his shoulder a bit undignified as he twisted his body. Jordan caught it, but thoroughly lectured the boy.

"No no no. Throw the ball like I do. Make sure you know where the ball is going. It almost went out of my reach! Plus, that could result in a turnover in a number of ways."

To show the 'young blood' he threw the ball towards the wall for emphasis. Raising his eyebrows at Natsu to show he wasn't kidding, and was going to do this all day if he didn't get it through his head.

"See?" Natsu had a look of surprise at the sudden change in Michael's voice.

Getting the idea Natsu got ready and nodded,flinching, as he caught the the ball in an impression of Michael.

"Good!" He simply commented happy Natsu was getting it.

Natsu threw the ball towards Michael a bit more dignified with better technique.

"Awesome, look we're going to be practicing passing, and when you get that down, we'll get down to dribbling or bouncing the ball."

The look right before that signified a question. Michael took a deep breath without breaking eye contact waited for half a second and-"Why practice that? It seems easy!"

"Natsu, try to get the ball. As a stretch of how important it is to dribble well."

Natsu was very crude in his technique to get the ball. But eventually Michael drove to one side of Natsu, and when he saw Natsu move went the other way through his legs, accelerated, and THUMP.

Michael shot the ball and looked down at Natsu.

"Natsu."SWISH

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what we call this?"

"What?"

"Getting your ankles broken." With a loud laugh he pulled Natsu up and explained the importance of dribbling.

"This is important Natsu" Michael put a short stop at Natsu's name for emphasis, hoping to drive his point"because it keeps the person trying to stop you from getting the ball in the hoop on their toes, and let's you get pass them."

A swift nod came from Natsu."Now, you won't be dribbling like me anytime soon,but with practice you can be better."

Michael passed the ball to Natsu."Dribble it." Natsu nodded and did so. To Michael it resembled somebody trying to smack something. "Just push it down, catch and push back down." Natsu followed his mentor's instruction and had a slightly better fashion of dribbling.

Michael, wanting to help, grabbed a ball and started dribbling it, giving Natsu something to base his dribbling off. Natsu slightly got the hang of it, but for the most part Natsu had to pick up the ball and start over again repeatedly.

"Remember push a bit hard, but not to hard."

With that Michael looked at the time and quickly ushered Natsu out of his house. Hoping to take off that sad face of his new student he added"You can come back tomorrow. 'Kay?"

"Alright, thanks Michael."

Natsu journeyed beyond the gate, into the alley ways, and across a river into his house into the Forest. Though it was dawn, his right shoulder was sore from dribbling,_ that crap was hard_, and his body was sweating from running after the ball.

But Michael made it look so easy. Dribbling through his legs AND not looking, 'shooting' the ball with a elegance and relaxing posture, and just great knowledge of his sport. Natsu wanted to be like that. He wanted to master basketball.

Michael mentioned that he was learning the basic stuff, and the more advanced things were both fun, and hard to pull of without certain fundamentals, and physical attributes. Saying, for a short height, he needed a high vertical. Whatever that was.

THE NEXT DAY

Natsu ventured off to Michael's house in pursuit of basketball. He eventually passed the alley ways, the gate and into the house.

"Michael!"

Michael heard the voice in his house and slightly panicked, thinking it was someone who wanted to collect debt payments. Cautiously he advanced, and let go of a breath he did not know he was holding at the sight of the pinkie."Yeah," he called out.

"There you are!" Natsu exclaimed as he saw Michael coming from beside the staircase. Seeing as Natsu was here early in the morning Michael asked"Hey Natsu. You hungry?" With an eager series of nods, Michael led Natsu to a kitchen past the staircase with a pan on the stove, and eggs in a bowl.

"You eat eggs like this?"

Laughing Michael explained"Of course not, I just prefer them scrambled. " He took a fork from a drawer and swished it into the eggs, and requested for Natsu's assitance."Natsu, grab the cheese from the fridge." With an 'okay' Natsu took a slice and handed it to Michael.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

A few minutes later the eggs with cheese on them were ready."Alright I made a lot so enjoy."

Natsu ate like a growing teenage boy that hadn't eaten anything in days. Michael ate like a grown man, but _damn. _He thought.

"Alright. Now let's take a couple of minutes to just chill."

Michael entered the living room with a cup of water. Natsu followed without one.

After settling into the seats for a couple of minutes Jordan began to ask questions.

"So Natsu..."

"Yeah?"

"When can I meet your parents?"

"I don't where my dad is. I never met my mom."

"Oh. Sorry for bringing it up."

"It's alright. I'll find him one day though."

Michael smiled at that. Understanding the pain of not having your parents. Michael's demons of his past always made sure to remind him of his dad. Erasing the thoughts he patted Natsu's back. "I'm sure you will."

"Hmmm mmm."

They sat together with Michael drinking his water, and Natsu feeling content with the taller man. "Hey Michael, how old are you?"

With a laugh he answered."Old enough."

Then, Michael jumped up, and tapped Natsu on the head a couple times."Come on. Time to start."

Following a quick warm up session, Natsu and Michael practiced what they did yesterday. Passing, and dribbling. Passing and dribbling. Passing and dribbling. Passing and dribbling.

After a couple of days, growing skilled and restless at the same time, Natsu managed a behind the back pass, and a through the legs cross. "I DID IT!" Natsu danced, extremely happy about this. Michael, relieved that they could finally move on started to think of another pratice. "Good,good. Now let's move on to something else."

A thoughtful expression swept onto the tall man's face. Trying to come up with something reasonable for Natsu's skill and physical traits.

"Can you teach me how to shoot?" Though that did come across his mind he shook his head.

A loud groan came from Natsu as he looked increasingly agitated by the second."COME ON!"

"Natsu. Chill."

Grumbling Natsu agreed and waited for Michael's idea. "I got it."

"Tell me!"

"Rebounding." A dumbfounded came upon Natsu's face, replacing the one of moderate ire before. "Rebounding is getting the ball after a miss."

"That seems easy."

"It's not unless you're tall, and can jump and can catch."

"Like you?"

Michael smiled, knowing he was tall, but compared to some of his peers he was short. But, just for Natsu's confidence.

"Yeah. Like me."

Michael signaled for Natsu to pass him the ball. Michael caught the ball and shortly there after, shot it.

Amazed at how far Michael could shoot, Natsu had a glazed look as he followed it through the air."Now go get it." Natsu was snapped out of his awestruck state and waited a bit for the brick to come to him and caught it."Like that?" he asked, seeking the approval of his mentor.

"Yeah,"he started a bit uneasy"but usually you jump for the ball and attempt to get at all cost."

A confident nod of determination answered his statement as Natsu passed the ball to Michael, who swallowed his pride, and bricked it. Natsu jumped and grabbed the ball turning his head, unsure due to his little knowledge of basketball."What do I do next?"

Walking up to him, Michael answered"Now, you either pass it, or head to the other team's goal."

Nodding, Natsu started dribbling toward the other goal. "No not yet. Keep practicing your rebounding."

Once again, Michael swallowed his pride and despite his ego yelling at him, bricked it.

Rebounding was something that came naturally for Natsu, being a bit bigger than average kids in weight, and just above average in height, this gave him a good sense of rebounding powerfully. For his age.

"Alright, Natsu. Time for you to high tail outta of here." An irritated groan, much like yesterday, came from Natsu. Albeit, this was more sad. After pondering about Natsu's reply of sorts for a moment, Michael asked something that would unknowningly change Natsu's fate. "Hey, before you go. Where do you live?"

"In the Forest."

"Inside a house?"Michael asked. A bit worried. A quick 'no' confirmed his fears.

Shocked Michael shook his head. denying the truth. "NO? Un freaking acceptable. Natsu. Would you like to stay with me?" Though he made it sound like a command rather then a question, Michael was reliefed to have a lot of nods came from Natsu. As he did not mind staying with the man who had taught him, and fed him in the morning.

"Great! Come, now that you live with me we can go eat!"

"Awesome!"

_•_•_

Natsu woke up in a bed. Unfamiliar with this ritual of waking up in a room, he panicked. Which resulted in him punching an alarm clock with a flaming fist.

Very shortly after Michael ran in. "What the Hell man?" More so, he was startled by the fire on the night stand. Yelling the obvious."FIRE!"

Michael ran out of the room like there was no tomorrow, and came back with a fire extinguisher, panicking as he sprayed the bed,curtain and nightstand. And Natsu. Relieved Michael asked the angry Dragon Slayer "Damn. You okay Natsu?"

(I was thinking about a cliffhanger.)

"So, you're a Fire Dragon Slayer?"

"Yup."

"Raised by the dragon Igneel."Michael said it as a statement more than a question.

"Hmm mmm."

"Well then."

They sat at a table discussing the topic over breakfast. With a to self sequence of increasingly small nods, Michael drunk his coffee. "Well damn." He commented again. Shaking these thoughts from his head he continued with a welcoming.

"Anyways, to welcome you to the Jordan household, I cooked" Natsu grew eager at those words "up a little something I planned on giving you."

"Really?"Natsu's voice squeaked with excitement.

"Mmm hmm."

"What is it?"

"Basketball shoes."Unimpressed Natsu raised an eyebrow at Michael.

"Trust me Natsu. They are comfortable, support your ankles, have great grips on the court, and look good. I even made you some basketball clothes. Also, this crap was expensive, and took a long time to design and make."

Michael presented grey high tops to Natsu."I call them 'Natsu '"

The rest of the uniform had no sleeves, was mostly black and mesh, and had a number on the back '45' and nothin on the front. The shorts were down to his knees, but were loose and mesh and had a grey stripe trimmed with red, on each side.

"You like them?"

Natsu, despite expecting a spell to learn, took a liking to the items he had been gifted from his Teacher knowing they were for basketball he opened his mouth at the expecting Michael, and answered, smiling.

"I love them."


End file.
